Alone again, for the first time
by CheriEstella
Summary: Lou and Jimmy alone for 2 whole days, will they explore their feelings, will secrets be revealed? Set at the very end of Season 2. Hope you like, this is my first TYR story and my first time here. Reviews are always welcome. Om Shanti!
1. Chapter 1

**Alone again, for the first time**

Chapter 1

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked standing on the steps of the bunk house.

"Of course, we'll be fine" Lou said, leaning against the door jam.

"But I didn't have any time to put together any meals for you, there's a little left over stew and some cold biscuits from breakfast but not much else. Are you sure?" Rachel asked.

I watched as Rachel and Noah walked toward the buckboard, they were headed to fort Laramie to pick up Kid. A rider out of Horse Creek station came through about an hour ago with word that Kid had been thrown from a horse near Cottonwood station and had been taken to Fort Laramie with several broken ribs and a concussion. The doctor there said he would be ready to travel in a day or so but couldn't ride; he was concerned about the broken ribs doing damage to a lung. So Noah and Rachael were taking the wagon to bring him home. I was worried of course, I worry about all the boys, but it was different with Kid especially after all we had been through, but we ain't together anymore and it seemed better for Rachel to go since she was better at taking care of sick and injured folks than me. And Kid and I was friends now, well we were trying anyway, he had moved on and it was time I started letting go too. I looked over at Jimmy sitting in the rocker on the porch, a blanket over his legs, he was getting over a bad fever he had for almost a week and it seemed to take a lot out of him. He was on the mend but Doc wanted him to rest for a few more days. He'd be good as new by then… well he'll be back to his usually ornery self anyway.

"We aint … aren't… gonna starve Rachael, I can make sandwiches" Lou stated firmly "Gosh you'd think I was planning on poisoning him, the way you all are acting."

"Lou" Noah said as he helped Rachael into the buckboard "no one said you poisoned folks on purpose'.

Lou glared at him, and then at Jimmy, "what are you laughing at?" Jimmy stopped laughing but just couldn't wipe the grin from his face. ..Damn that grin it was infectious. Lou tried not to, but she couldn't but grin back.

"Go will ya', Kid's waiting on you" Lou said with her hands on her hips "someone has to stay here, may as well be me, what with Cody &amp; Ike out on long runs, and Teaspoon &amp; Buck in Blue Creek someone has to mind the store and make sure Jimmy does what the doctor told him too. Hell, Jimmy will probably be well by tomorrow and I'll make him cook."

Noah laughed "You sure that's what you want Lou?"

Lou smiled "I think I'll be ok, I'll have ta make do. I cain't really afford to lose any weight, but Jimmy well…." Lou nodded in Jimmy direction.

"Hey my weight is just fine." Jimmy looked back towards the buckboard "It's only 2 days afore the boys get back. And at this rate Teaspoon will be back before you. Go! We'll be fine."

"Be safe you two" Lou hollered as she and Jimmy watched the wagon disappeared towards the horizon.

"Lou" said Jimmy as Lou started to walk into the bunk house.

"What?"

"I'm Hungry" he said with a smile

Lou sighed and thought "This may be a long weekend."

...

The rest of that day, Friday, Lou spent trying to get as many chores done as possible, there were stalls to muck out, horses to groom, feed &amp; water. There were still a few riders from other stations coming that needed fresh horses, Jimmy did what he could, but he tired pretty quickly and he was too stubborn to just sit down so that she practically had to force him. Dinner that night was the left over stew with a few biscuits and butter.

After dinner Lou put water on to boil and made a pot of tea. Jimmy was sitting on the porch watching the sun go down. "All in all I'd say it was a good day" Lou said to Jimmy as she brought him a cup of the tea.

"Yea I reckon" Jimmy said taking the cup and nodding his thanks. "Sorry I wasn't much help, I don't know when I'd been this sick before, but tomorrow I will be able to help more"

"You did what you could Jimmy and tomorrow being Saturday there will be fewer riders coming through, may not have any at all. Noah said he would let the other stations know we were shorthanded and hopefully they will be able to by-pass us."

"Wow a quiet day for a change, I don't think I know what that's even like" jimmy chuckled "No Cody yammering on about who knows what."

Lou laughed "No Rachael or Teaspoon telling us what chores need doing or whose gonna draw the short straw…..wow no straws!" Lou smiled a smile so bright that Jimmy figured they could see it in town. He liked watching her face. It could tell a whole story without her saying a word. Happy, sad, mad, frustrated, beautiful, angry, loving, understanding it was all there in her face.

"What?" Lou looked at Jimmy watching her "something wrong with my face?"

"No" Jimmy smiled as he turned to watch the evening sky change from golden yellow, orange and red to blues and blacks as the stars came out, he thought about leaving it at that, just "no", but instead he stood up, looked back her "No Lou you have a nice face" he touched her cheek with the back of his hand, just for a moment, like Teaspoon sometimes did now that he knew she was a girl. It was like Teaspoon was letting her know she was still one of the 'boys' but also his 'girl' and that was OK with him. But Jimmy's touch was different, different as night and day. She knew Jimmy had feelings for her but she wasn't sure what they were. She had feelings too, and she was damn sure about 'em, even if she found them pretty confusing. Jimmy's touch lit a fire so deep in her that it made her head swim and made her breath catch in her chest.

"Good night Lou"

Lou watched him as he walked into the bunk House. "You staying up" he asked.

"Yea, just gonna finish my tea" Lou said looking back out at the night sky afraid that even in the dark he would see something in her eyes. "Good night Jimmy."

There was also the fact that she was sure that if she tried to stand up her shaky legs would fail her. That's what Jimmy's innocent touches could do, Lou had been wondering for some time what his hands would feel like on her arms, on her back pulling her close, what his lips might feel like…..Lou breathed out long and slow. The two of them together, alone, for another two days, she was seriously considering chopping wood before turning in.

...


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday came around as it always did and the day dawned bright, sunny and warm. Jimmy was up before Lou, and had made the coffee, he handed her a cup as they walked onto the bunkhouse porch.

"Good morning and thank you Jimmy" Lou said stretching like a cat in the sun. "Gonna be a beautiful day. How are you feeling?"

"Yes it is and I feel better than I have felt in a month" Jimmy said smiling, watching Lou stretch, but trying not to get caught at it. "So I guess I need to catch up on some chores around here and for that I am in need of a good breakfast" he glanced at Lou, raised his eyebrows and put on his best 'puppy dog face'. Lou sighed "Porridge it is" she said.

"Try not to burn it, please" Jimmy said. Lou stuck out her tongue and walk back into the bunkhouse to get dressed.

Jimmy tilted his head a little to the left as he watched her walk away wearing just her long johns. 'I wonder if she even knows how good that looks and how often all the boys try to sneak peeks when she aint looking.' Jimmy took a deep breath and let it out slow. 'It's gonna be a long two days' …

"Lou" Jimmy hollered as he walked away from the bunk house "let me know when breakfast is ready, I'm gonna get started chopping wood."

Lunch was a simple affair of cheese sandwiches, cool water and warm coffee. "Pretty good coffee Lou" Jimmy said taking another sip. "Coffee ain't hard Jimmy" Lou smiled.

"You feeling ok Jimmy you worked pretty hard all morning"

"Yea I'm feeling pretty good, might take a nap though, dream about a steak dinner, with potatoes and pie for dessert" Jimmy laughed. "Guess it will have to wait till Rachel gets back"

"Jimmy you could cook if you wanted to" Lou looked at him a little sideways.

"Now Lou you promised to look after me while the others were gone, I heard you tell Rachel you would take real good care of me" Jimmy smirked.

"Oh go take your nap Jimmy!" Lou said grabbing her hat "I am going into to town, got ta pick up a few things, Oh and don't you even think of telling anyone about what happens here today."

Jimmy frowned, with a puzzled look on his face he watched as Lou walk into the barn 'Wonder what the hell that means? What am I 'not' supposed to tell anyone?

"I cain't tell what I don't know Lou" Jimmy yells as she and Lightning ride towards town.

Jimmy woke up and stretched out on his bunk wondering how long he had been asleep, the shadows were getting long as the sun dipped lower in the sky; he must have been pretty tired to have slept so long. Lou! Jimmy remembered Lou was going into to town. That was hours ago. Jimmy sat up grabbed his boots, gun belt and headed to the barn. Sitting on a hay bale putting on his boots Jimmy looked at Lightening, comfy in his stall, looking for all the world like he had been there for a while. "So where is Lou?" he asked Lightning as he walked out of the barn.

Lou was having fun; mind you this was not what she wanted to do it all the time but it was?...…hummmm, what was that word Teaspoon used, Creative, it was cre- a- tive. She liked that word. Teaspoon used that word last week, every day, all day, 'bout drove 'em all crazy with it. But right now it seemed to fit. This was cre-a-tive. Humming to herself she didn't hear the door open or the footsteps that crept up behind her.

Jimmy walked out of the barn toward the corral, he knew Lou wasn't there and she wasn't in the bunkhouse, the outhouse maybe?….well he weren't going to look there. He figured he would just wait a bit when he noticed there were lights coming from Rachel's house. Jimmy walked up on the porch, the door was opened a bit and he swore he could hear humming….someone was humming and he noticed his mouth was beginning to water 'cause some wonderful smells were coming out of Rachel's kitchen 'Was she back?' Jimmy thought, 'Couldn't be. Hell she and Noah were probably just getting to Fort Laramie. Then who was humming and cooking in her kitchen.' Jimmy drew his gun, and slowly, quietly entered the house.

Jimmy lowered his gun as he walked into the kitchen with a stunned look on his face. He was dreaming, laying in his bunk, still napping, had to be there could be no other explanation of why Lou was standing in Rachael's kitchen, cooking and looking like she liked it, hell it was her that was humming and the food looked really good and smelled even better. He had to be dreaming…

"Lou, what the hell?" Jimmy called out.

Lou screamed, reached for her gun, spun around and drew on Jimmy who was so stunned by the sight of Lou… in a kitchen... and likin' it that she got the drop on him.

"Lou!" Jimmy shouted "Damnit women it's me, put the gun down."

"Good Lord Jimmy I could a' shot ya'!" Lou yelled back "You didn't even get your gun drawn. What's wrong with you?"

"Me!" Jimmy looked around "What's wrong with me, you're in a kitchen Lou, and it looks like that food you're cooking, it might actually be edible" Jimmy paused and thought about that_…."The food you are cooking" _Jimmy said very slowly. "Lou …..You can cook" Jimmy stated, every bit as surprised as Teaspoon was when he found out Lou was a 'she'. Jimmy's eyes narrowed and darkened as he holstered the gun.

"Yes Jimmy I can" she said, she holstered her weapon as well. "It was supposed to be a surprise but I guess you woke up early" Lou was watching Jimmy walk slowly towards her with only the kitchen table between them, "Now Jimmy, you get the look off your face" that 'mad as hell' look that only James Butler Hickok could get. Jimmy continued walking slowly towards her, stalking was more like it. "Louise McCloud you can cook" Jimmy said in a low dark voice as he began to walk around the table. Lou started backing away from him, "Well yes" Lou said slowly, knowing what Jimmy was thinking "but Jimmy there's a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why I never let anyone know" she kept moving slowly around the kitchen making sure the table was between them.

"Lou you can cook" Jimmy said again. They were circling the table now, slowly.

"I know that Jimmy" Lou said a little annoyed "and stop saying it like it was a bad thing."

But Jimmy was still talking, to no one in particular. "Lou can cook! And she never told anyone." Jimmy was still walking around the table. "LOU let us eat Teaspoons burnt biscuits, and Cody's god awful slop, LOU lets us damn near starve after Emma left!" Jimmy's voice was getting louder. "YOU" Jimmy shouted pointing at Lou "YOU LET ME WEAR AN APRON" then his voiced got real quiet; Lou felt better when he was yelling.

"I'll be damned, Louise McCloud can cook" And then Jimmy faked a run towards the right around the table knowing she would go left and he quickly caught her as he jumped to the left. Holding her by the arms Jimmy pulled Lou close "You lied to us."

"But Jimmy…." Lou started to explain and trying to break his grip on her arms.

"Lou you made us all suffer through everyone's cooking; and come to think of it you never took a turn did ya, 'cause you knew we'd find out. You let us suffer. Oh wait till the boys' find out, they will want to horse whip you and then make you do all their chores" Jimmy said looking into those big brown eyes.

"Jimmy you can't tell!" Now Lou was worried and she stopped struggling.

"Maybe not horse whipped" Jimmy thought out loud "but spanked for lying, yes you should be spanked." Jimmy back up towards a kitchen chair still holding Lou's arms.

"Jimmy Hickok you wouldn't dare!" More of a statement than a question. Sitting down Jimmy drew her to stand between his knees, now holding her wrists. "I had to eat the god awful food too ya know, well most of the time anyway." Lou cringed, thinking she probably should have left that last part go.

"Most of the time?" Jimmy enquired holding her wrists a bit tighter "When did you eat better than us? Oh wait a minute you cooked for Kid didn't you?"

"Hell NO! I did not"' Lou sternly replied, trying to pull away. "I had enough trouble with Kid wanting me to be something I ain't, what do you think would have happen if he knew I could be .. be .. this domesticated?"

Jimmy bust out laughing, "No I guess you couldn't let him know" Jimmy relaxed his grip on her wrists but didn't let Lou go. He was beginning to like having her here, this close. Looking at her beautiful face soften as she smiled. "I am sorry Jimmy I just couldn't let everyone know, what do you think would happen if you all knew I could cook?" Lou waited for an answer "hummm?"

Jimmy thought about it for a minute, "I guess we would have expected it of you all the time, probably wouldn't have been fair about it either."

"Exactly" Lou said Looking into Jimmy eyes. "Look Jimmy I ain't kidding you can't tell no one. I trust you, please don't tell."

"I don't know Lou, I reckon that depends on how good the food is" Jimmy smiled and released Lou's wrists.

Lou put her hands on Jimmy's shoulders, still standing dangerously close. Lou relaxed as she slipped her left arm around Jimmy's shoulders and perched lightly on his right knee, making Jimmy's heart beat a little faster.

"Jimmy let's just put all this behind us and have a nice quiet dinner" Lou put her face next to Jimmy's and looked forward "Listen Jimmy, what do you hear?"

Jimmy, who was trying to keep his heart from beating outta his chest, looked at her out of the corner of his eye like she'd lost her mind and said "I don't hear nothin' Lou."

Lou turned her face towards his, so close she could feel his breath on her face, she liked it, maybe too much and she slowly stood up to face him. "That..that's right," Lou stammered a bit "nothing, just silence, no fighting, no one snoring, no one telling us what to do and no one dogging us, ain't it great?" Jimmy nodded his agreement, afraid that if he tried to talk he would fail. Lou caught her bottom lip softly between her teeth as she stood up, tried to catch her breath and went back to cooking "Jimmy, dinner ain't gonna be for a while and the soaking tubs' all set up in the mud room, I took a bath while you were sleeping, so why don't you get cleaned up." Jimmy stood up and thought to himself that a cold bath might be just the thing but said out loud "Sounds like a good idea Lou,… uhhh Lou?"

"Yea Jimmy"

"I won't tell" Lou smile at him as he headed to the bunk house for clean clothes.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jimmy took a long time soaking in the tub, he was enjoying the quiet, Lou was right it aint often that it was this peaceful around here. He was also enjoying listening to Lou humming and talk to him through the door as she finished dinner.

"Jimmy, you know you have to help with the dishes" she hollered through the door.

"Don't worry Lou I won't let you do all the work."

"Jimmy?"

"Yes Lou"

"What a ya think of a walk or a ride after supper?"

"Lou I think that would be real nice."

"Jimmy?"

"Yes Lou" he said with just a little annoyance in his voice.

Lou laughed "Just telling you that I was headed to the bunkhouse and we will be ready to eat in about 20 minutes" Lou smiled as she walked across the yard. I don't know what this is I'm doing, but I like it. And damn it one of us has to at least try. Lou hummed as she got out her blue dress; the one Jimmy bought her in Willow Springs.

Jimmy walked into the kitchen and stopped, his breath caught in his throat. He leaned against the door and watched for a moment as Lou was taking food to the table, she was wearing the dress, the dress he had bought her in Willow Spring and his mind was flooded with the memories of that night. She looked beautiful that night in Willow Springs and he had been proud to have her on his arm, the envy of every man in town. But that night and what happened the next morning also made him promise to himself that no one would ever get that close to him again, it could only bring trouble for them and put their lives at risk. He still woke up at night, terrified by the memory of Lou with a noose around her neck.

"Lou you look beautiful" Jimmy said softly

"Thank you Jimmy" Lou spun around and he was rewarded with one of her sweet smiles "You ready to eat Jimmy."

"I could eat a horse" Jimmy said with a smile, walking to the table. Well it cain't hurt to be with her tonight, ain't nothing gonna happen to us here at home.

Medium Rare Steaks, perfectly cooked; there were roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips, with just a little bit of fresh dill. Hot buttery rolls that were so light you'd swear they were going to float away, and Apple pie, Jimmy's favorite. Jimmy didn't know what to think, this was one of the best meals he'd had in a long time. And Lou cooked it, he was still having a hard time believing it.

"Lou where'd you learn to cook like this?" Jimmy asked taking the last bite of pie and washing it down with a sip of hot coffee.

"My Ma was a good cook; when we left my father we headed east and got as far as St Louis before our money ran out. Momma took a job cooking in a saloon at first, but her cooking was so good that a fine restaurant nearby hired her. We even lived in a room behind the kitchen, I spent most of my time there taking care of Jerimiah and Teresa but sometimes I got to help out in the kitchen. I remember having to stand in a chair just to reach the countertop" Lou smiled and looked at Jimmy "you think I'm 'puny' now."

Jimmy smiled back "How long were you in St Louis?" Jimmy didn't know much about Lou, hell none of them really did. What was it like for her to be so young and on her own? Kid had told the riders about Wicks and that he had hurt her but he didn't go into details, they were smart boys, they knew out what he was saying. But other than that no one knew where she had come from or what she lived through in the 5 years since she left the orphanage.

"About 2 years, that's when Momma got sick; after she died I managed to get my brother and Sister to the orphanage near St Jo, I was about 10 by then" Lou sighed "Stayed with 'em a couple of years and I did a lot of cooking there too, with all those kids to feed the sisters needed all the help they could get. But I preferred the stables, I spent more time there than in school or the kitchen. Eventually the sisters left me to do what I wanted and what I wanted was to take care of the horses and to ride."

"That sure paid off didn't it?" Jimmy said with a smile.

"Yea, yea it did, but not till about a year and a half or so after I left the orphanage. It wasn't until I started dressing like a boy that I got decent work and got to use those skills" Lou started to get up to clear the table.

Jimmy put his hand over hers; she felt the heat from Jimmy's hand, looked in his eyes and sat back down.

"How did you live all that time on your own?" Jimmy asked "You had to have been living like a boy for at least 2 years before you started riding with the express"

Lou sat back down "longer than that I guess" Lou looked up at Jimmy "you probably know about Wicks" Jimmy nodded and looked down at the table "Well I was there almost a year before…well..he…. "Lou shrugged""...and after I ran away from there I tried getting other work, there aint much out there for young girls, and at almost 14, I was too young and didn't have enough education to be a teacher and I lived in Wicks' whorehouse long enough to know I would do anything not to live like that. I moved around for a month or so and picked up a few jobs working in kitchens and by then I had made my way to Topeka…."

Jimmy interrupted "Kansas?" Jimmy was from KS and just for a moment wondered if they were there at the same time.

Lou nodded "Yea, There was a bar near the center of town and the barkeep was gonna hire me to help in the kitchen, the pay was barely enough to feed myself, but I needed to eat. He told me I could have the room in the back to sleep in. He took me back to show me where it was and he tried ta' .. well ya know" Lou paused and leaned her head against Jimmy's shoulder "Funny I ain't never told anyone about that, no one. I managed to get away and stole some clothes, boys clothes, cut my hair and headed further west. It felt safe to dress like that, to live like that and I got a good job working in a livery near Seneca and I lived there for a while. But I moved on after a few months, it was safer to keep moving too. Lord Jimmy I worked all over, I worked as a ranch hand in Texas for about 6 months or so, even worked a few cattle drives" Lou smiled "Someday I will tell you those stories Jimmy. You think Cody's stories are funny."

Jimmy's smile faded a bit "Running cattle from Texas, you must'a had it tough then. I saw the kind'a men that came through Kansas with their herds. They were a rough bunch."

"Well I'll say you boys are an easy lot to live with compared ta the hands I had to bunk with back then." Lou gave Jimmy a reassuring smile "Most of men I worked with were good folks and well I learned a lot. I just kept my head down and did my job."

"We even had a cook on one run didn't seem ta think too much of wearing clothes" Lou laughed at the memory of Chuck Wagon cooking in nothing but an apron and boots. "Being here with you boys is the longest I've lived anywhere since I left the orphanage. It's also the only place that felt like home since my Ma died."

Jimmy turned to face Lou and lifted her chin to look her in the eyes "Lou you know none of us would ever hurt you" Jimmy said. "Jimmy" Lou said in a strong but calm voice "I wouldn't have stayed if I'd thought different."

Lou stood up taking her plate "Let's get these dishes done so we take a walk before dark, Then you can tell me something's I don't know about James Hickok" Jimmy followed her with dishes in hand "Lou sometimes I think you know more about me than I do."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Complete

The dishes were done and the sun was sinking low on the horizon as they walked out onto the porch. "Where to Lou?" Jimmy asked taking her hand and putting in the crook of his elbow "Well, how about a stroll to the pond, it's almost too dark to go much farther."

They walked in silence, neither one feeling the need to fill the void with talk or conversation. They had always been like that, they knew each other well, well enough that more often than not words weren't necessary. Jimmy knew that Lou was happy in this moment, right now, with him. He could feel it. He could usually tell what her feelings were, even if he couldn't understand his own, he knew hers. And Lou could read his thoughts; she had been able to get in his head from the earliest days of them riding together. And he knew she understood the other riders too and she even seemed to understand Teaspoon but he also knew that this, this relationship they had, was different. He knew that if he lived 100 years he would never love anyone the way he loved her. Yea, he Loved her, he'd known it for a long time. Had even thought he might try to get closer to her, but Kid staked his claim early and Jimmy knew that Kid was a better choice for Lou, he could give her the kind of life she deserved. What did Jimmy have to offer? A life spent running from the past? God help him he wanted to give her more. But he knew he loved her deeper than Kid did. Kid was always trying to make her fit some idea of the woman he wanted. Jimmy knew Lou was perfect like she was. He loved her beauty and her rough edges. He respected her abilities and intelligence. He loved her even when she was driving him crazy trying to get him to 'talk'. He didn't want her to stop being Lou. He needed her to be Lou. Lou was everything to him but he also needed her to be safe. She said so herself, that's why she lived like a boy, it was safer. That was the only thing Kid could give her that he couldn't. So what was he doing here with her? Standing here in this sweet silence with his arm around her shoulder drawing her closer to him, she fit so well next to him and as they watched the sun slip beyond the horizon Lou slipped her arm gently around his waist.

As they stood by the pond Lou listened to Jimmy's breathing. Its cadence, the pattern of it, it was soothing but there was a strength in it. She wanted to hear more, so she slipped her arm around his waist and moved closer, close enough that if she listen very carefully she could also hear his heartbeat. Jimmy was happy here, next to her, if only for this moment he was relaxed. He was always able to relax with her, with her he could let his guard down. Lou knew he worried about the life he had lived, the men he had killed, they weighed on his soul and kept him from seeing any future he could have with anyone, with her. He couldn't let her love him. Yep, she Loved him. She had almost from the beginning. But it was such a different kind of Love that she hadn't seen it for what it was. She just knew that she was drawn to Jimmy, like a moth to a flame. She could look into those dark eyes and feel like she was falling into them and while that feeling of falling was scary; it felt like falling into something wonderful. She just didn't know what this was they were doing. And that was the scary part. She knew what safe felt like when she was with Jimmy, safer than with anyone she had ever known, he Loved her and cared for her, it was the unknown future that left her felling unsure. But if he asked she would jump with him into that vast unknown. She knew she would never feel like this with anyone else she Loved him. Oh she loved Kid too, but it wasn't the same. Kid was sweet and steady and he loved her, or at least who he thought she could be and who she sometimes wanted to be, but with Kid she felt pressured and confined but she also knew he would keep her safe. Kid was the practical choice. Kid was the right choice. So why was she here with Jimmy? Wanting him to hold her, kiss her and Love her.

They never said a word as they walked back to the bunkhouse, arms wrapped around each other, a comfortable warm embrace; both wondering what would happen when they got back to the bunkhouse. They approached the Bunkhouse steps and Jimmy turned and looked down into the most amazing, loving brown eyes he knew he would ever know. "Lou" he said bringing his hands to her waist and drawing her a bit closer "Thank you for an amazing dinner, I promise I won't tell it will be our secret." 'That and how much Love I feel for you' he thought, that will always remain a secret.

Lou smiled, her breath coming faster and she felt a warmth raising up in her as she moved even closer to Jimmy and placed her hands on his chest and tilted her face up to jimmy's, while he lowered his head towards her, their lips meeting, gently at first, but as the deeper understanding they both knew began to rise up within them the kiss itself deepened to meet that understanding with a passion no one but they could understand. They stood so close and kissed so deep that they almost became one.

And in that one moment they knew, that this might be the only chance they would have. But also in that moment came a loud crash from inside the bunkhouse, they both jumped and Jimmy drew his gun as he spun around and jumped up on the porch and kicked open the door.

Jimmy raced into the building, Lou right behind him but Jimmy stopped so fast that Lou almost knocked him down, he didn't move he just said "Uhh Hi".

Not hearing anything Lou looked around him and saw Ike, grinning, not saying anything, just grinning. His hands in his pockets "Oh Hi Ike" Lou stammered as she came out from behind Jimmy "what are you doing here? We weren't expecting you back till tomorrow."

Ike, still grinning, shrugged **I can see that ** Ike signed as he looked Lou up and down **You look real pretty Lou…Louise** Ike signed. Lou forgot she was wearing a dress and just for a second thought about jumping back behind Jimmy.

Ike looked at Jimmy and his face grew serious ** What are you two doing? Where is everyone, are you here alone?**

"We ain't doing nothing Ike, just went for a walk is 'all" Jimmy said a bit too harshly. Lou put her hand on Jimmy's arm, letting him know to relax.

"Yea Ike, ain't no one here but us, ummm well you know Teaspoon &amp; Buck, they was headed to Blue Creek, and yea umm Cody he had a run to Denver and well you weren't due back till tomorrow from Seneca. Oh and umm Rachel &amp; Noah..." Lou was rambling at this point, that wonderful, quiet, no need to fill up time with talk, feeling was gone. "Well see they went to Fort Laramie…."

**Why** said Ike.

"I'm getting to that, well they ummm had to pick up, uhhh, Kid, yea Kid, he fell off his horse" Lou looked at Jimmy who was trying real hard not to laugh. "Stop that" Lou said through her teeth to jimmy as she punched him in the arm.

Jimmy just shook his head and looked at Ike "How'd you get back to fast? And how long you been back?"

Ike said**The rider from Seneca got waylaid so I switched with one of the riders, he took the Seneca pouch and I was able head back. Maybe I should have slept on the trail?** Ike was grinning again.

"Stop laughing Ike! You're making me nervous" Jimmy said. "Really, how long you been back?"

**A while but I didn't see a thing** Ike said ** just Lou in a dress, you too walking arm and arm. All totally innocent** Ike was still smiling at Lou.

** Right now all I want is a good meal and to get some sleep. With Rachel gone which one of you cooked?**

Jimmy looked at Lou her eyes getting even bigger, they both knew there were leftovers from their wonderful dinner, but didn't know how to explain them.

"Well Lou was in charge of that" Jimmy said. Lou punched him again "So she, Lou…ya know…went over to … the widow Anderson's place and uh well the Widow took pity on us and made us some food" Jimmy nodded to Lou and smiled kinda proud of making up the story quickly.

"It's up at Rachel's house." Lou said "I'll get it for you."

**Why up there** Ike asked, really enjoying watching these two squirm.

Thinking simple is the best Lou said firmly "Cause I left em there, be right back, you should go wash up" She gathered up her skirts and ran to the house."

Ike started out the door but stopped and looked back at Jimmy Ike's face getting very serious, they locked eyes for a moment **That's my sister and don't forget she has 3 other brothers** Ike said before closing the door.

Jimmy let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding as he sat down and smiled thinking about what he and Lou had shared, living like all they did, time alone for any of them was rare but getting to spend time alone just the two of them together well that was somethin' precious. And finally knowing what kissing Lou would be like Jimmy sighed and knew that every kiss he ever gets or gives will be judged by the moment he and Lou shared tonight.

Then he laughed out loud and said to the empty bunkhouse "And Lou can cook, well I'll be damned".


End file.
